Chapter 191: Hollow Snow

Large flakes of snow drifted lazily down onto the quiet mountain settlement on HDV-502. A thin layer of it gathered up everywhere, but melted quickly along the heated roads and rooftops. Their warmth ensured none gathered too quickly, at least to a certain degree.

Any further than a simple flurry, and the cold would have overwhelmed the settlement’s surface heating systems.

All other places though, in corners and alleyways and secluded zones, snow and ice from previous cycles piled up nearly a meter high. These areas never enjoyed such leisures. Almost all colonies couldn’t enjoy unlimited energy like the Sol system - only the richest solar systems in Federation space were able to employ Dyson Spheres to get power.

Small settlements such as this one had to rely on traditional fusion generators for power, and they had to be careful to ration how much power was being used, and where.